Hedoneus

He was never meant to exist…

Riven Morgrave awakens in a world ruled by fate — a system that determines one’s class, power, and even destiny at birth. But Riven is different. Marked as an anomaly, born outside the will of the gods, he is cursed to remember every death he’s ever suffered, trapped in a brutal loop where failure is inevitable… and betrayal is certain.

Everyone sees him as weak. And that’s exactly how he wants it.

Behind a cold mask and feigned incompetence, Riven hides his SSS-Rank ability — Oblivion Mirage, a skill so powerful it can reshape time itself. His only goal? To silently climb the world’s hierarchy, expose the corruption of the Divine Order, and destroy the heroes who abandoned him in a life before this one.

But fate isn’t the only thing he’ll defy.

Beside him stands a rising legend: Ylira Faegwyn, a proud elven mage who sees through his mask. Along with a harem of powerful, dangerous women from every corner of the realm — a demon fire-wielder, a vampire sorceress, a beastkin warrior, a fallen angel assassin, and a royal tactician — Riven builds his own path. One cloaked in shadow. One forged in silence.

Masked By Fate: The Strongest Pretender

Moonlight drenched the ancient ruins where Riven stood alone, mask half-shadowed beneath a crumbling archway. The silence was unnaturally thick—until the scent of blood carried on the wind.

He turned just as Selene Nightblood emerged from the darkness, her red eyes gleaming, lips curled in a smirk. Her highborn vampire elegance was as cold as the night around them, and her presence shifted the air like a predator entering her domain.

"You finally came alone," she purred, her long crimson cloak trailing behind her. "I was beginning to think you'd never let your guard down."

"I didn't," Riven replied coolly. "You're just better at slipping through shadows than most."

Selene approached slowly, deliberately. "Then allow me to be clear, Riven. I want answers."

The silence returned, heavier than before.

"You move like someone who has danced with death a hundred times… yet you wear the mask of a coward. Your presence commands the room, yet you let others lead. Why?"

Riven's eyes glowed faintly beneath the mask. "Because power frightens those who don't understand it. Especially the kind I carry."

Selene reached him, placing one pale finger against his chest. "Then show me. Let me understand."

"No," Riven said sharply. "Understanding me comes with a price."

"I'm a Nightblood," she whispered. "I deal in blood and secrets. I know the cost of everything."

"Then here's my bargain," she added, voice low. "I'll swear myself to you—my magic, my clan, even my blood. In return… tell me what happened in your last life."

Selene leaned closer. "You're not the only one cursed by time, Riven. I've dreamed of you before."

The weight of her words hit him like a spell. Fate… was weaving its threads again.

He finally met her eyes. "Fine. One truth… in exchange for your loyalty."

Selene smiled—a rare, genuine smile. "Then you've earned the vampire's bargain."

Above them, the moon pulsed red. And in that moment, another thread of Riven's growing fate-bound harem was tied—this one forged in blood, mystery, and the seduction of secrets.

The Vampire’s Bargain